There is never a worse feeling then that feeling of being completely blown away after your recent health inspection did not go well. So how can you prepare to ace this inspection? The following is a list of tips that will help.
- Turn yourself into a customer and look at the restaurant from their view. Go through all the same motions that a customer would go through.
- Enforce the importance of hand washing and making sure that at least your manager are up-to-date on latest food-safety techniques.
- Make sure that you are up-to-date on your local health codes.
- Try to do your own mock inspection, but use the same forms as the inspector.
- Ensure that all of your staff knows the problems before and post inspection.
- When it comes to cleaning it is better to over clean than not clean enough. Bathrooms, equipment, utensils, flatware, pots, pans, and cooking surfaces should be cleaning regularly throughout the day. Not just at closing!
- Be up-to-date on all courses and certificates
- Know the difference between an unscored violation, general violation, and critical violation
- Try searching if your city has health inspection guide posted online
- Be sure that food temperatures are always monitored and that cross-contamination of unrelated foods is not occurring. (I.E. raw poultry with salad mix)
- Do everything possible to prevent pests and rodents including: seal all cracks and holes, dispose of garbage appropriately, and it is recommend to have a contract with a licensed restaurant approved pest control company.
- Be sure that all equipment is functioning properly and is well maintained
- If your are using well water, instead of a municipal water source, it must be treated and tested regularly
It is better to be overcautious than shutdown or fined.
Resources:
http://www.restaurant.org/Manage-My-Restaurant/Food-Nutrition/Food-Safety/Nine-tips-to-prepare-for-a-health-inspection
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/rii/blue-book.pdf
http://fsafood.com/main/serviceareas/seattle/seattleArticleTemplate.aspx?nid=4a659b5d-f40f-476b-b0b3-40a04d14371a&ref=http://fsafood.com/main/serviceareas/seattle.aspx
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